The Latest Breaking News from Dana Walden

Our weekly back-and-forth also looks at the big Disney-DirecTV deal, Synamedia's 'Senza' cloud-based streaming dongle ... and the terrifying Big Ten fate of the once-proud UCLA football program

Smith, who oversaw YouTube Music and YouTube Premium as VP of product management at Google, will report to Disney Entertainment co-chairs Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro

Move promotes synergy between local, national news operations

Disney Park, ESPN and Disney Entertainment employees will be told this week if they are going to lose their jobs but hourly workers at resorts may be saved.

Exec will oversee Disney Plus and Hulu

LOS ANGELES — When Oscar winner Mahershala Ali and his producing partners made the rounds last year, pitching an adaptation of Jean Hanff Korelitz's bestselling novel "The Plot," it sparked a bidding war.

Bob Iger faces daunting challenges in his return to lead the Walt Disney Co. What to do about ESPN? How to make Disney+ profitable? Preserving fan loyalty at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Navigating a possible recession.

Bob Iger's return to the Walt Disney Co. was greeted with glee by Wall Street and Hollywood's creative community. His 15-year tenure leading Disney — which included the landmark acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox — made the industry believe he had an almost magic touch.

Walt Disney Co.'s bombshell news Sunday night that Bob Iger would return as chief executive sent shock waves throughout the Burbank entertainment giant, Hollywood and Wall Street.